Registration

Welcome to the Kiger Mesteño Association (KMA). We are very happy you have chosen to apply for registration into theKiger Studbook. You are stepping into a wonderful heritage. KMA, along with some exceptional BLM Wild Horse managers, founded the Kiger Mustang as a breed in 1988. Rowland Cheney, a gifted artist and professor was among the original founders of the breed. He aptly described a first meeting when it was determined that an organization and registry was a crucial step in preservation of these horses. It was

…the most effective way to maintain the Kigers as a genetic resource. The words “national treasure” and “western heritage”

were used a lot, and there was a sense of real dedication from everyone in the room. I believed then, as now, that this founding group was on the right track. It was generally agreed that without public recognition of the unique character and essential value of these horses, there would be little chance of saving them.

By entering your horse into the founding registry of the Kiger Mustang you are joining this legacy and helping to preserve a marvelous heritage. So we welcome you.

4. FRONT VIEW From tips of ears to bottom of hooves. Unobstructed view of hind feet. If mane is long please pull it to the side.

5. REAR VIEW Showing hind end. Please tie tail or pull it out of the way.

6. DORSAL STRIPE Showing entire back, from mane to tail.

7. FOREHEAD Cobwebbing marking (forelock lifted).

8. LEG MARKINGS front legs

9. LEG MARKINGS back legs

OPTIONAL

10. TAIL Showing fullness and color of tail.

11. MANE Showing fullness and color of mane.

12. SOOTY FACE MARKINGS

13. SHOULDER BARRING

14. DORSAL HERRINGBONE

We will need clear sharp photos.

Photography Tips

—Fill the entire frame of the photo with the image needed. Avoid resizing, it can cause distortion. —Avoid dark shadows and harsh lighting. —Use a camera with at least 3 megapixels. —Dorsal stripe image needs to be taken from above the horse so that inspectors can see all the way from mane to tail.

The Kiger Mesteno Association REQUIRES DNA testing for registration. The purpose of DNA testing is for verification of parentage. If you have a freeze branded horse, the purpose is for future offspring verification. The DNA information that is in the KMA database is very valuable for the preservation of the breed and future study. The DNA Test Kit Order is found attached to the Registration Application. The KMA Registration office MUST have completed DNA testing on file for the sire and dam of the Kiger horse being registered, unless the Kiger horse was born in the wild. The cost of DNA testing is $35 per horse. Horses already registered in the KMA stud book before the testing was required are encouraged to add their DNA. Please contact KMA at info@kigermustangs.org for information on how to add your horse’s DNA if horse has none on file.

When you receive your DNA test kit, please follow the instructions and forward your DNA samples directly to UC Davis. The results of your DNA test will be sent to the KMA Registrar and the Registrar will forward a copy to you.

Height: 13.2 to 15.2 Hands

CONFORMATION: In general, the Kiger Mesteno should be compact, light to moderately muscled, with a smooth and stylish appearance and have good saddle conformation.

QUALITY: The Kiger Mesteno should have clean, dense bone with sufficient substance, well developed joints and tendons and have a fine coat.

TEMPERAMENT: The Kiger Mesteno should be tractable, but with good spirit.

HEAD: The head is medium in size, clean cut and tapering slightly from jaw to muzzle. The profile side view can be straight, concave or slightly bulged, such as the Tarpan. Wide, clean cut lower jaw, medium fine muzzle with small and firm lips and medium nostrils. Ears should be medium in length, hooked at the tips on the inside, set wide apart and carried alertly. Cob-webbing and masking are highly desirable.

NECK: Medium length, well crested, clean cut at the throatlatch, smoothly jointed to the shoulder and deep at the point of the shoulder. Mane and forelock are full and bi-colored. (Some may tend to be upright mane, Tarpan type.

FOREHAND: Shoulders of long length and at 45-50 degree slope, blending into smooth, well defined, but not too high withers. The withers should be slightly higher than the point of the hip. Wither stripes, crosses, shadow, bars and stripes on chest and legs are highly desirable. Forelegs should be moderately spaced with an inverted V appearance when viewed from the front where they connect to the chest. Viewed from the front, the legs should be thin and must be straight; viewed from the side, legs should be wide and sinewy. Cannons should be short to medium, wide, flat and free from muscling. Fetlock joint should not be round, but rather wide. Pasterns should be clean and strong, of medium length with the slope to correlate with the slope of the shoulder. The hoof should be of medium size, round to oblong, with thick walls. Kiger horses tend to be mule footed.

BARREL: The body conformation of the Kiger Mesteno is distinctive, with a chest of good depth and with a short back, broad and moderately muscled. The barrel is oval with well sprung ribs and full flanks. The sternum should not protrude. The withers are well defined, but not prominent. The dorsal stripe is mandatory with herringbone stripes desirable.

HIND: The hind legs should be squarely set and so placed that the horse turns on his hindquarters with legs under the horse. The hips should be well-rounded. The croup should be rounded gently with medium, low-set tail, well carried. The tail to be full with light colored guard hair. Muscles in the hip and thigh should be long and sinewy; not heavy as characterized in draft horses. The hocks should be wide, deep and clean. Viewed from the rear, the hind legs are usually closer at the hocks than at the fetlocks. Stripes on the lower legs are highly desirable.

CANNON: Short to medium, wide, flat with tendons standing well out from the bone and well defined.

PASTERN: The hind feet should resemble the forefeet and should be round, medium in size, smooth and dense.

HOOVES: The hooves should be dense, compact, recessed sole and frog, tending to be oblong or mule footed.

ACTION: The action should be lively, light, tending toward higher than average front leg action. Some tend to be Paso gaited.